EOSC Co-Creation

EOSC Co-Creation 9/1/2020–3/31/2021

Open science can be encouraged and rewarded by developing FAIReR assessments recognizing open science outputs and activities. Such assessments are rooted in both the FAIR guidelines for data management and policies for the responsible assessment of research (FAIReR = FAIR + Responsible). This requires a variety of stakeholders - research communities, policy makers, funders and publishers - to work together to address social and cultural barriers and challenges. It also requires creating a technical infrastructure, which makes responsible assessments of open science practices and outputs possible.

This project, funded by the EOSC Co-Creation funding, aimed to produce an overview of the current role of FAIR data in researcher assessment, and to create a vision and roadmap to better incorporate FAIR data in European research assessment as an essential incentive for researchers to engage with FAIR data production and use of EOSC services. According to the FAIR principles, the data should be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable.

Our final report is openly available at Zenodo and can be downloaded also from our website.

• Henriikka Mustajoki, Janne Pölönen, Kath­leen Gregory, Dragan Ivanović, Valerie Brasse, Joonas Kesäniemi, Elina Koivisto, Elina Pylvänäin­en (2021): Making FAIReR assessments possible. Final report of EOSC Co-Creation projects: “European overview of career merit systems’’ and “Vision for research data in research careers” https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4701375

The first part was executed by:

1. Producing a review on data models, information systems and assessment policies based on existing literature (reports, research articles and other documents).
2. Online survey targeted to Research Performing Organisations (RPOs) and Research Funding Organisations (RFOs)
3. 5 case studies, which will complement the general view
4. Preliminary vision for FAIR data models and information systems

The second part of the project produced a future vision of FAIR data use and created a roadmap leading to that vision. The second part consisted of two work packages:

1. A vision for responsible and sustainable use of FAIR data in research and researcher evaluation encouraging European researchers to create FAIR data using OS-CAM framework (open science career assessment matrix);
2. A roadmap post 2021 towards responsible and sustainable research merit system for European organisations encouraging European researchers to create FAIR data. The roadmap is based on the overview produced in part one and will create a bridge leading from the current state to the future vision.

Both the vision and roadmap work were executed in collaboration with European experts in online engagements and with the help of open international consultation.

Funded Co-Creation projects were: 

• Study Proposal #16: European overview of career merit systems
• Study proposal #17: Vision for Research data in research careers